In the past, meat products, such as sausages, ham, bologna, bacon, corned beef, and the like, have been cured by injecting a curing solution containing sodium nitrite and other salts, into the product. The product is then heated to a temperature of about 150.degree. F. to 165.degree. F. and smoked for a period of about 1 to 16 hours. Thereafter, the product is chilled and can then be sliced and packaged. The cured product normally has a distinct pink "cured" color throughout its cross-section.
With the use of a nitrite curing solution, residual nitrites will normally remain in the food product. There has been a concern that nitrites can have adverse health effects and, therefore, there has been a desire to develop a curing process for meat and poultry that does not include nitrites
U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,629 is directed to a process for the rapid curing of meat products using nitric oxide gas. In the process of that patent, the meat product is initially subjected to an acid treatment, preferably using lactic acid. The treated meat product is then placed in a chamber where it is exposed to a nitric oxide atmosphere at an elevated temperature to develop the cure. Following the curing cycle, the meat product is passed through a final chamber which contains a chilling atmosphere. According to the patent, the process provides a rapid cure and develops the desired cured color in the meat product.